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Board Meeting:
March 13, 2012
 | | Healthy Lake County |
 | | County Update: Health |
LCTV can be seen on Comcast cable channel 18 or 30 or channel 99 for AT&T U-verse subscribers.
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Lake County Edition
March 2012 | |
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Board Commits to Work Toward 60% Recycling Rate by 2020
The average pounds per day of waste disposed of by each Lake County resident is about 4.8 pounds (based on 2010 statistics). Most of that waste ends up in a local landfill and as a result, Lake County has an estimated landfill capacity of around 12 to 13 years.
That is why leaders from across Lake County have been working on a plan to reduce the amount of waste and extend the life of our landfills. The specific recommendations are outlined in the "60% Recycling Task Force" report recently adopted by the Lake County Board. The task force, which is made up of 27 members representing a wide range of stakeholders including two county board members, produced the report with 36 recommendations to achieve a 60% recycling rate by 2020.
To put the 60% goal in perspective, in 2010, Lake County achieved a 39% recycling rate. The goal is to reduce waste disposed of in the landfills to 40% of what is generated. The recommendations are grouped into three sectors: residential, commercial, and construction and demolition debris. The residential strategies include: enhancing existing programs, expanding use of franchising, implementing a pilot food scraps/organics collection programs and backyard composting, and other measures. Commercial strategies include: enhancing existing programs. For example, the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) will work with partners to implement an award program that promotes awareness of businesses that recycle. Also, SWALCO will assist local governments with use of franchising, developing model contracts for commercial businesses, and providing waste audit assistance. Also, the plan recommends strategies such as developing model ordinances. Additionally, SWALCO, in collaboration with its partners, will embark in a multi-faceted community outreach and education effort to provide information on how to recycle, why it is important, and the impact it has on our own community and beyond.
The plan has also been approved by many Lake County municipalities. The intent is to have Lake County government and all of the municipalities adopt the report and commit to begin implementing the recommended actions outlined in the plan. To view the report, visit www.swalco.org.
County Board Adds Sustainability Chapter to Regional Framework Plan
Lake County, in conjunction with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), will be updating its comprehensive plan with a sustainability chapter. The County Board approved this action at its March meeting. Building on its "Sustainability Best Practices Report" introduced last December, Lake County and CMAP will work with municipalities, other stakeholders, and members of the public to incorporate sustainable goals and policies into the County's Regional Framework Plan. This Sustainability Plan will help Lake County to pursue economic growth in a sustainable manner that conserves our valuable resources. Learn more about how Lake County is "going green" and what you can do!
Lake County Partners with WaterSense
You can help save water and protect the environment by choosing WaterSense labeled products in your home and business and take simple steps to save water each day. The County Board adopted a resolution at its March meeting officially partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program to promote more efficient use of water. WaterSense helps people save water with a product label and tips for saving water around the house. Products carrying the WaterSense label perform well, help save money, and encourage innovation in manufacturing. Learn more.
March Promotes Water Conservation with Fix a Leak Week and World Water Day
Did you know that an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks? During "Fix a Leak Week" (March 12 - 18) and "World Water Day" (March 22) you're reminded to check your plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems. Learn more about how to check for a leak, and how to fix it! Also, Lake County Public Works encourages customers to learn how simple it can be to conserve water and lower your water bill. This month, Lake County Public Works customers have the opportunity to win a free Orion Water Meter Monitor. This tool allows you to view your actual water meter reading at any time in order to track consumption and find leaks. Don't be a water waster! Learn more about water conservation.
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Lake County's Website Gets an A+ for Transparency
For the third straight year, Lake County has received a "Sunny Award" and an A+ transparency grade for its website. Sunshine Review, a national non-profit organization dedicated to government transparency, reviewed more than 6,000 government websites and recently announced the 2012 winners. Websites are graded on having items such as: budgets, meetings, lobbying, financial audits, contracts, academic performance, public records and taxes. Lake County is one of only six counties in Illinois to receive this top grade. Visit the Lake County website at www.lakecountyil.gov!
Also, check out our new OpenGov page on our website. You can access Lake County's public records from one, convenient place.
Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemptions
The Chief County Assessment Office will be mailing the 2012 Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption Applications to all homeowners currently receiving the Senior Homestead, in the next few weeks.
The qualifications are:
* 65 years old or older during the tax year
* Own the property as your principal residence for the last two Jan. 1st
* 2011 total household income is $55,000 or less.
Programs for affordable homeownership
Beginning April 15, 2012, Lake County, in association with a number of Illinois communities, will offer a two-pronged approach to assist eligible homebuyers. The Assist program provides families with funds to pay all or most of their closing costs and down payment, and the mortgage credit certificate ("MCC") program reduces the homebuyer's ongoing cost of borrowing. Homebuyers must meet certain eligibility criteria, including purchase price and income limits. Read this flyer to learn more about how these programs work.
Seeking Projects for IEPA 319 Grant Application
The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) is seeking projects to include in a countywide grant application for projects and programs to reduce nonpoint source pollution in areas of the county where a watershed-based plan has been developed. Requests for project proposals information will posted to the SMC website on March 20.
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Spring Construction Season Gearing Up
As winter comes to an end, the Lake County Division of Transportation is gearing up for construction season. Take a look at the CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS website to see what's coming. You can also sign up for real-time traffic alerts on Lake County PASSAGE, follow @LCDOT on Twitter, and get project updates on Facebook.
Transportation Survey
The Lake County Division of Transportation is studying the travel of people in the county in an effort to understand travel patterns and evaluate public transportation options. This survey is only open through March 16, so please take a moment to provide input. Thank you to everyone who has already completed this survey.
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Get Your Plate in Shape - March is National Nutrition Month
Getting your plate in shape means adding more plant-based foods to your diet . Watch this video to learn how you can add more of these foods for a healthy plate. You can also try this recipe for black bean burgers.
Families Learn to Make Healthier Choices
The Health Department is offering activities and education for families at a weekly program offered in March and June through the North Shore Health Center in Highland Park. Families learn about healthy eating choices as well as what activities they can do to maintain a healthy weight. LEARN MORE!
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Watch Video on Lake County's Sustainability Progress
Lake County is committed to promoting a sustainable environment. In fact, it is one of the County Board's top strategic goals. A few years ago, Lake County adopted a plan to enhance our sustainability efforts and since then, departments have been working hard to turn many of the strategies into actions. For example, the Lake County Division of Transportation has built three new roundabout intersections that allow for more efficient traffic flow through the intersection thereby reducing emissions. Also, Public Works has enhanced its bio-solids distribution and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) continues to have tremendous success with its electronics collections. In this video, learn more about Lake County's Sustainability progress. And, find out what you can do to live greener by visiting Lake County's Going Green website.
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Upcoming Events
Lake County Holds Open Houses in March on Application to Rezone Property at Rt. 12 and Old McHenry Road
The Dimucci Family has applied to Lake County to develop their approximately 109 acres of property at Rt. 12 and Old McHenry Road located in southwestern unincorporated Lake County. The request is for a rezoning from residential to commercial with a planned unit development to allow for up to 53 acres of high quality commercial development, surrounded by about 50 acres of open space.
On March 3, more than 80 residents attended Lake County's first informational open house on the project. Residents had an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal, learn more about the process, and provide input. There will be two additional open houses on Wednesday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Concorde Banquets, 20922 N Rand Road in Kildeer.
In this video, learn more about the information provided at the open houses.
You can also visit lakecountyil.gov/dimucciproperty to view materials from the open houses, and submit comments.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase II Workshop - March 20, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Learn the best way to build an effective illicit discharge elimination program (IDEP) from the Center for Watershed Protection. This workshop is being offered as part of Stormwater Management Commision's ongoing effort to assist Lake County communities in meeting the requirements of the EPA's NPDES municipal stormwater permit program. Learn more.
Free Workshop for Homeowners Associations:
Maintenance for Subdivision Drainage Systems
This workshop is for homeowners associations and property owners responsible for maintaining detention ponds, wetlands and natural areas. Information about legal responsibilities, budget considerations and Best Management Practice case studies will be shared.
Thursday, April 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Central Permit Facility, Libertyville.
Learn more.
RSVP for workshop.
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